The present invention relates to the preparation of an aqueous sugar solution containing dispersed excess sugar crystals suitable for use as a frosting mix. More specifically, this invention relates to the preparation of a frosting mix by grinding an aqueous saturated sugar solution containing dispersed excess crystalline sugar to form a viscous syrup having sugar crystals in the size range from about 0.1 to about 50 microns.
In the cereal and bakery business, it is highly desirable to frost or ice products with sugar ingredients to improve or increase the sweetness and physical appearance of the finished product. Frosting or icing mixes can be any color depending on its ingredients. A snow-white appearance is sought after for frostings especially for cereals.
Many processes are known to produce frosting mixes and these processes tend to be complicated and difficult to control in producing an ideal frosting product. The addition of sugar to a heated aqueous solution, i.e., without sugar crystals, to produce a saturated aqueous sugar solution can provide a frosting mix which, when coating a cereal will increase the sweetness level but the resulting dried product will be glossy, transparent and not have a snow-white or distinguished color effect. If a super-saturated aqueous sugar solution is prepared, exceptionally high temperatures, well above the boiling point of water, are required to put excess sugar into solution and on cooling, the excess sugar crystals will precipitate from the solution. As the super-saturated sugar solution is further cooled, large crystals will form. If this product is used as a frosting mix, the non-uniform sugar crystals on drying, will provide an uneven, undesirable frosting which does not have an appearance of a distinguished snow-white or colored effect. By the present invention, a process is provided, in a simple manner, that prepares an aqueous sugar frosting mix at low temperatures, i.e., below water boiling temperatures, that when sprayed onto cereals or other products produces sugar crystals of small sizes encapsulated in a clear amphorous film having exceptionally highly desirable snow-white appearance on drying. If colored frostings are desired, added color ingredients will provide distinctive color effects when light hits the small sized sugar crystals encapsulated in an amphorous film.